Dummies' Guide to Successful Relationship
by Guardian of Jupiter
Summary: Journey of a perfect relationship is never easy. Steve and Danny are trying their best to make it last.


This is nothing but a poor excuse of writing porn that involves the second slashiest pairing I've ever seen (my first slashiest pairing will always be House/Wilson; that is unless H50 proves me otherwise – it's only half-way first season :P)

Title: Dummies' Guide to Successful Relationship Vol. 1

Pairing: Steve/Danny

Words: 13,389

Rating: NC-17

Beta: Purple_Spock

* * *

Steve is a military man. He, as attested by Danny and Chin Ho, is a hard-assed, no-nonsense man with laser focus eyes embedded in his DNA (as Chin Ho has eloquently told him). Being in the Navy exposes him to a lot of things – the evilness of human beings, the way they can also be selfless, the length that a person would do if he is pushed hard enough and all the human behaviours – both good and bad – that never cease to amaze him until they do not anymore. Almost fifteen years in the Navy, Steve knows that he is slowly becoming numb.

And then he gets the Hesse Brothers job. Five years chasing the brothers all over the globe, he got so obsessed and over-the-top focused that he had lost his father in his fixation. The day he stepped his foot on Pearl Harbor and was offered a job in a special task force, Steve was no longer the man he was when he first set out from the island.

Until he met Detective Danny William. He is a fresh of breath air – honest, straight-forward, loyal to-the-fault and has a mouth that probably requires an insurance of its own. Danny is the man who is not afraid to speak out against him, not afraid to show his emotions and Steve finds all those traits appealing because he has never commanded a subordinate who doesn't respect him for the rank that he has. And Steve also finds Danny to be way, way too attractive for his own good.

Steve cracks his first true smile in three years because of Danny. Steve also knows he is way too indulgent when it comes to Danny – he listens to his ranting (no matter how ridiculous they are), he welcomes Danny to his house, he helped Danny keep his visitation rights, he paid Danny three-nights at an expensive hotel so he can spend quality time with his daughter and hell, he ordered a cocktail for Danny in the middle of their job just because he wanted it; Danny may have paid for it, but that is not the point.

The point is Steve wants Danny. Steve freaking _wants_ Danny. He spends time watching Danny twirling in his chair in his office when they are in between jobs, fantasying how Danny will react in his bed. He fantasies mussing the slicked back hair, flipping Danny on the bed (since Danny is so small, he bet it would be easy), touching Danny until he hears and sees him come undone and simply, simply love the man who has captured his heart in such a short time.

Most guys would then start freaking out, wondering how the hell they can fall in love with their partner. And most guys would start agonising about whether or not their object of affection is even inclined to homosexual relationship. But Steve is not most guys. He is the guy who has pursued the Hesse Brothers with a sense of relentlessness that amazes his superiors. He is the guy who knows what he wants and he will not stop at nothing until he gets it.

So, Steve begins planning a long seduction (if Danny's marriage indicates anything, it is Danny is a straight guy who probably never even contemplates a relationship with a man) and he will not accept any outcome other than success, meaning he will have Danny in his bed, begging him to fuck him senseless.

* * *

_Communication is the key to successful relationship._

"Hey, Danny..."

"Did I tell you that you can speak?" Danny glares at him. "Didn't I tell you that it is my turn to talk and for your information, I haven't finished. I am long from finished and you know why? It's because you are constantly disregarding the protocols and act like your immunity extends all the way to the Sun and, like, you are invincible. Who is in their right mind hangs off their only suspect overlooking a cliff? How do you think he will tell us anything if he can't speak from the anxiety panic and lack of breath? And furthermore..."

Steve's face is expressionless at the continued rant but the small twitch in the corner of his mouth belies his irritation. In the beginning, Danny's rants irritate him but now, Danny's long word-vomits only amuse him. Recently, the amusement that he feels is dosed with heavy lace of fondness.

"Are you finished? Can I speak now?" Steve raised his eyebrows.

"By all means." Danny wears a frown that never fails to make Steve want to lean over and kiss it away.

"First of all..." and Steve begins, enjoying himself immensely. He defends himself only to have Danny accused him of being all Army-like (it's the Navy, dammit) and exclaims that this is not Guantanamo, making him frustrated with his loud-mouthed partner.

He, then, he lays down all the Navy Intelligence strategic terms, Danny goes all ballistic for him using obscure words just to confuse him and Steve says final words (such as, 'yeah, I'm sorry'; or 'you're such a hothead'; or 'for the record, I wasn't tried to kill him'; et cetera, et cetera) and all of the sudden, the fiery atmosphere is defused and the harmony is completely restored, where Danny makes silly observation (for example, 'so this is The Apocalypse of Eden Through the Eyes of a Misanthropic Diety... Deity?') And Steve is back to wanting to kiss him senseless again.

A few days later, he walks into the office and accidentally hears a conversation between Danny and Kono.

"Steve is driving me crazy." He hears Danny complain. It makes him smile._ Right back at you, partner._ Steve thinks.

"How so?" Kono perks up.

"Are you kidding me? Is it just me? I mean the fact that Steve always goes Rambo and Commando every other day doesn't irritate you?"

Steve can hear smile in Kono's tone when she answers. "But he makes it up to you by allowing you to chew him out without interruption."

Danny snorts softly. "That's big of him."

"No, really." Kono insists. "I heard from Sid the other day about your days in HPD before you came to Five-0. Apparently, the chief was not very happy about your... directness and he almost shipped you back to mainland."

Danny goes quiet for a while. Steve would give anything to know what is running through that blond head of his. When Danny speaks up a few moments later, Steve has to strain his ears to hear it. "Yeah, that would not be the first time. It makes me wonder why he puts up with me."

"Maybe he doesn't find you as annoying as you think he does."

Steve frowns. Danny thinks he finds him annoying? Are the three-nights at a hotel, letting loose the Governor on his ex and inviting him to his house indicating that he is annoyed with him? Hm, Steve is beginning to think that Danny's brain is messy place to venture. After all, Danny is the only man who wants to go back to Jersey when he is practically living in a paradise. And Danny called his brain a miserable place. Right.

"And," Kono continues. "Maybe, you don't find Steve as irritating as you think." Steve can hear the sly in her tone. A smile appears once again on his face.

"I didn't say he irritates me." Danny interrupts. "I said he is driving me crazy."

Kono laughs. Steve likes hearing her laugh. "I guess that is much, much more dangerous, is it?"

Danny splutters. "What do you mean dangerous?"

Kono laughs again and this time, Steve joins her softly under his breath. This is precious. This is going beautifully. He has hoped Danny would realise this particular indulgence that he has given to him. And if it takes Kono to make him realise it, Steve guesses he has to take her for lunch or something. As a gratitude.

* * *

_A romantic dinner to keep the fire alive._

"Want to go grab a drink after this?" Steve asks after a gruelling case.

"Did you bring your wallet this time?" Danny replies, weariness in his voice and face. Even so, his hands are still waving around, emphasising his point. "Because you've conveniently forgotten to bring your wallet twice now and I'd be a stupid detective to fall for that trick again."

Steve smirks. "Yes, Danno. I did bring my wallet."

"Show me first," Danny demands. "Because I'm not going to take another step until I see it."

"Oh, ye of little faith." Steve pulls out his wallet out and waves it in front of Danny's face.

Danny shakes his head. "Oh no, I need to check it out first." Danny moves forward to reach out and grab the wallet that Steve is waving. "For all I know it is one of your decoy-things."

Steve pulls back his hand. "Don't you trust me?"

Danny growls and doubles his effort. And his mouth never ceases the talking. "Oh, I trust you to cover my back. I trust you to help me if I asked for it. Hell, I even trust you to take care of my daughter! I mean, I trust you with almost everything else in my life. I mean you invade my life in every way. But do I trust you to bring your wallet when it is you who does the inviting? No way!"

Steve's heart does the somersault when he hears Danny's words. Danny probably doesn't even realise the things he said judging by the intense look on his face as he tries to reach for the wallet but Steve knows that everything that Danny says is as honest as the man himself. It thrills him beyond belief to know that Danny trusts him that deeply because he knows how important Gracie is to Danny. The smirk on his face is slowly turning into a fond half-smile.

"What's with that face?" Danny asks as he grabs his partner's arm for leverage to jump higher. "I swear if you say anything about my height, I'm going to leave you here and you can drink all by yourself. It's not my fault if you're so freaking tall, bordering giant, really, and I am of the average height. You have no right to smirk at me when it is you who are a freak."

Steve is laughing now. Danny is so adorable when he is in mid-rant. Steve wonders whether Danny will be as talkative as he is now when he gets Danny in his bed. The image is not helping him, not when Danny is practically pawing him to get to his wallet. Steve swallows hard.

When Danny's hips practically sweep against his hardening length, Steve flinches and drops his wallet. Danny grabs it and whoops as he waves the prize in his hand. As Steve watches Danny flip opened his wallet, he draws in a few shuddering breaths, willing away his desire for the man in front of him. At that particular moment, Steve thinks that no one can be as desirable, maddening, lovable and fuckable as the man in front of him now. No one can ever be and in deep down inside, Steve knows, no one will ever be. When he finally brings Danny to his bed, he will never let him go.

"All right," Danny smiles and Steve wants, so very much, to kiss those lips. "You've got the money. Let's go."

"Is it sufficient enough for you?" Steve speaks up huskily. He clears his throat.

"Oh, now that I know exactly how much you have in that wallet, I want to skip the drink." Danny reaches for his jacket. "There's this restaurant that I've wanted to try, only that I don't want to look like a total loser eating there all by myself. So, you're going to take me to that restaurant and you're going to pay for whatever I'm ordering."

Steve raises his eyebrows. This sounds a lot like a date. "Don't you think we're going too fast, Danno?" he teases.

Danny snorts. "That's funny. Wait until you see the price in the menu, I'd bet you'll not be laughing any longer."

Steve shakes his head fondly. "Seriously, Danny. You've got some deep and inexplicable issues with food."

"Hah," Danny waves his hand dismissively as he grabs his keys. "Just for that, Steve, you'll be paying for a three-course meal, the whole thing."

Steve watches the back of Danny before following him. First dinner date with Danny, Steve thinks, is not what he imagined it would be. But, Steve would not change Danny for anything.

* * *

_If you're terrified of losing him, you've probably got it really, really bad._

"So, how are you going to do this?" Danny whispers as he peeks over the crates. In front of him is a group of guys, circling two helpless girls. They are laughing and sneering just to see the fear in their victims' eyes.

"Chin and Kono cover the upper level of the warehouse. There are only six guys there and we have the element of surprise. So..." Steve looks over his partner and cocks his gun.

Danny sighs and nods. "Of course."

They move around the crates and Steve calls out with his cool steel voice. "Hawaii Five-0. We've got you surrounded and if you've any sense at all, you'd surrender nice and easy."

The reaction is immediate and Steve has expected that. He shoots the first guy that he sees draw up weapon and then, he hears Danny shoots another guy. Soon, the warehouse is full of the sound of weapons fired and bullets ricocheting. The men are so panicked at the sudden ambush that they have practically forgotten about the girls they have abducted. Steve has gotten the third guy, while Chin and Kono shoot the fourth and the fifth guy.

Suddenly, he hears a sound of sharp shot and Danny is gurgling with surprise. It is the sound that Steve has heard many times during his career in the Navy. It is the sound that he is accustomed to hear but never before has it got his blood freeze and his heart ceases beating. Then, there's another shot and this time, Steve spins around and see Chin shoot the last guy. From where he is standing, he sees Danny rumple on the floor, unmoving.

"Danny!" he shouts and runs towards his partner. He kneels and carefully turns Danny around to see the damage that is inflicted on him. A small hiss escapes his mouth when he sees a dark red spot growing slowly on Danny's chest – useless bulletproof vest, of all the places that it protects, the bullet has just got to penetrate the area it doesn't protect: armpit. And also because of the vest, the bullet doesn't shot through and it is stuck inside Danny's chest.

"Oh, God... Danny..." Steve whispers. Danny doesn't reply; but his breathings are laboured and his pale blue eyes are searching Steve's in frantic manner. Steve knows that Danny is about to go through a major shock. "Kono! Call an ambulance. Chin! Deal with those guys!"

Steve can see how both of them want to go to Danny but he uses his laser eyes and it gets Kono and Chin moving.

Danny's lips are moving slightly and Steve pulls him onto his lap; closer and closer. "Hush, Danno. Don't speak. You're going to be alright, partner. Just hold on and you're going to be alright."

He speaks those words like a mantra, like a healing spell to comfort both Danny and him because, damn it, this is not happening. This is not happening; not to Danny, never, ever to Danny. "Don't you let go. That's an order. Don't let go. You're going to be fine." Steve can feel the beginning of a sob in his throat and he forces himself to swallow the tears. God, he loves Danny and if this is all the time that is allowed to him, Steve doesn't know how to handle it.

"Ste...ve..." Danny whispers brokenly and Steve quickly raises his finger to wipe away the blood on the corner of Danny's lips. He knows that is not a good sign – the lungs are collapsing. "Ste...ve..."

"I'm right here, Danno. Right here. I'm not letting go." Steve murmurs fiercely, willing his strength and life to flow into Danny. "Where the hell is the ambulance?" He shouts.

"It's coming, boss!" Kono's voice is equally frantic.

"Take... care..." Danny tries again, letting out more blood from his mouth. "Take care of...of."

"Oh, Danny." Steve cannot be listening to Danny saying goodbye. It means he is giving up and Steve will not allow that. "Of course I'll take care of Gracie but I don't think she's going to forgive you if you died on me." He is playing dirty, using Gracie's name like that. But he doesn't care. Danny is his to keep, forever.

"I... know that..." Danny scoffs and immediately he coughs. Blood sprays onto Steve's face and at that moment he wants to scream. "I... was... talking about you..."

"What?" Steve breathes. Of all the things that he thinks Danny is concerned about, Steve's wellbeing is not on Steve's list. He knows Danny's priority list – it starts with Grace, followed by Rachel, followed by another ten thousands things and always ends with him.

"Take care... Steve..."

"Danno! Danno, listen to me!" Steve grasps his partner's head. His eyes were blazing with determination. "If you died, I'm going to kill you again and don't you think for a goddamn second that I cannot do it!"

Danny tries to smile but grimaces instead.

"Do you hear me?" Steve demands and forces himself to be satisfied with the weak nod he gets from Danny. "Good."

* * *

_Sometimes, all that's needed to start a relationship is a declaration of love._

Danny has been unconscious for almost a week now. Steve has been travelling back and forth from Headquarters to the hospital every free moment that he gets. Every day he wishes that this will be the day Danny will wake up and end his misery.

The surgery has been traumatic, to say the least. From what he hears from the doctor, Danny crashes twice on the operating table and Steve has to clench his hands into painful fists to stop himself from punching the nearest wall. The pain from the broken bones will not feel as painful as the news that Danny almost died. Not when Steve knows it has been his fault; that the whole operation was his fault. He went in half-cocked, so sure of his team's ability to even think about the possibility that he might be wrong. Danny trusts him and he has let Danny down.

Kono is quiet and Chin Ho has been spending the last seven days telling him that it is not his fault. But, it is not Kono or Chin Ho's forgiveness that he is seeking; it is Danny's and he is hoping to hell that he hasn't ruined whatever it is that he has with Danny now for his cockiness. He doesn't want to lose Danny's trust, not when he has spent for the past months earning it after the spectacularly disastrous first meeting.

As he sits on the hard plastic chair with Danny's listless hand in his own, Steve watches the pale face covered by vent tube. In the silence of the room with nothing but the hissing sound of the ventilation machine, Steve is haunted by his feelings for the detective. Before, his feelings for Danny are just a white noise in his life. He acknowledged them but let them hover around him and nothing more. At the back of his mind, Steve knew that there would always be tomorrow for him to do something about his feelings.

But he should have known not to take Danny for granted. His life in the Navy and the sudden death of his father should have taught him but like a fool he is, he didn't learn his lesson. Therefore, he is not surprise when the universe decides to teach him another lesson. Third time is the charm and all that.

"God, Danno." Steve whispers, holding Danny's hand close to his mouth. "What we are doing is stupid. Playing this oblivious game when it is so goddamn obvious."

"Wake up. Please wake up, Danny, and I will end this game. I'll tell you everything that it's your right to hear and whatever you decide, we'll be alright. Whether you accept or refuse, we'll be alright. I just want you to wake up and never leave me."

When Danny opens his eyes in the next day, Steve watches Danny's pale blue eyes frantically look around the room before settling calmly at the sight of Steve standing beside the doctor. Steve's heart tightens almost painfully at the implicit trust Danny holds for him. He knows at that precise moment, no matter how much he thinks he screws up, he will never, ever lose the trust. Danny is far too loyal to ever take away the trust he has given.

The next two weeks sees Danny being taken off the vent, re-learning to eat solid food and discovering his voice to begin complaining about everything much to Steve's relief and amusement. If Danny is complaining, then, he knows his partner is very well on the way to mend. Steve, on the other hand, still hasn't changed his routine as he still spends all of his free time swinging back and forth from headquarters to his house to the hospital. His work keeps him from keeping Danny company during the physical therapy and when he arrives, Danny is always too exhausted from the gruelling session for prolonged conversation. Steve often watches Danny slip away in the middle of a conversation in overflowing fondness and settles to spend time watching his partner sleep until the visiting time over.

After nearly three weeks since Danny was rushed to the hospital, the doctor finally deems Danny strong enough to go home but he still cautions Danny to stay with someone until the pain in his chest doesn't restrict his movement anymore. Steve waits until Danny finishes his argument with the doctor – he has come to know Danny so well – before he steps in and offers (more like commands) Danny his house.

It takes a few days after Danny moves in when Steve suddenly remembers the promise he has made to himself a day before Danny woke up. They are sitting on the sofa, watching television with cartons of Chinese food scatter on the table, and Steve is looking at Danny making some random comments about Chinese food and the statistic of American consumption when a thought passes through his mind.

_I don't think I can ever let Danny move out of my house after he healed up._

That particular possessive thought causes Steve to avert his eyes away from Danny and the memory of a promise made resurfaces. The urge to leave it tomorrow is strong but Steve knows he cannot play the same old game again until another freak chance comes up and Danny gets shot again. Life as a Navy SEAL does not give guarantees and neither does life as a cop. He is out of excuses and most probably, running out of luck; the next time he may not be as lucky.

"Danny," Steve speaks up.

Danny hears the strange tone in Steve's voice and he automatically shuts up. During the months that he has known Steve, he has mentally catalogued Steve's voice into three categories: crazy (usually when he plans outrageous strategies that bound to get them killed), awkward (usually when he is trying to do something nice to someone but clearly doesn't know how to deliver it, which is to Danny is a classic caveman syndrome) and smug (especially when a Hawaiian speaks in language Danny doesn't understand and Steve smirks like it is some sort of private jokes). But the tone that he is hearing now fits nowhere in either categories. So, Danny puts down his food carton and turns his body, so he can give his full attention to his partner.

"Yeah?"

"There's something I want to talk to you about."

"Okay."

To Danny's surprise, Steve suddenly stands up and starts pacing. His hand runs in a nervous gesture through the short-cropped dark hair. This is something new, Danny thinks; mystified, because Steve has never looked nervous before. Awkward, yes. Nervous? Never. "Steve? Are you alright?"

When Steve doesn't answer him, Danny stands up carefully – his chest still twinges uncomfortably – and walks toward the ex-SEAL to stand in front of him, stopping the pacing. Danny waits until Steve motionless and he looks up at him patiently. "You want to tell me what's wrong?"

"Whatever your answer is, Danny, I just want you to know that it is alright." Steve says softly.

"Huh?" Danny frowns. "My answer? You haven't even asked me anything yet."

Steve takes a deep breath. It is now or never. "Danny, I want you."

Danny waits for a few moments. "You want me to do what?"

"No, Danny, I want you_. _Do you understand me? I want you more than just a friend. I want you in my bed, in my arms, in my life. _I want you._" Steve emphasises.

Danny can feel his mouth drop and his eyes widen in utter surprise at Steve's blunt declaration. For the longest time, Danny can only stare back at Steve, feeling frozen, unreal and numb. Countless replies flash through his mind; from _that's funny, stop joking around like that_ to _I'm not into guys_ to _how long since you got some_ to _what the hell do you see in me,_ but the reply that comes out of Danny's mouth is, "I don't know how to do it with guys." And Danny could smash his head to the nearest wall at the stupidest response ever.

Steve's eyebrows rise. That is unexpected, but then, Danny always says unexpected things. "Danny, this is not a fling. I would never risk our partnership if I simply want it for one night."

Danny's mouth moves wordlessly. His mind is blank.

Steve raises his hand tentatively to Danny's cheek, cradling his jaw carefully; unsure how Danny would react. "Danny?"

Suddenly, Danny closes his eyes and let out a quiet sigh. But he doesn't pull away from Steve. "I mean what I say, Steve, I've never done with it guys – the... the sleep thing or the relationship thing."

"The sleep thing?" Steve smiles, unable to resist Danny's vocabulary.

"Sex, tumble in the sheets, sixty-nine, whatever, alright?" Danny glares. "I've never done it. It never appealed to me before."

Steve stays silent for a while, trying to understand what Danny is trying to say amidst the reddening face and the glaring eyes. When his quick mind makes the connection and interpretation, Steve, in disbelief, speaks up slowly, "You are not saying no, are you Danny?"

Danny looks away, flushed deeply now. "I'm not saying yes, either." He retorts, just to be contrary. "I'm just… this is new to me and I'm not going to give any definite answer without thinking it through."

"What are you saying?" Steve is trying so hard to squish the blooming hope in his heart.

Danny bites his lips. To say that Steve's sudden confession is surprising is an understatement of the century. If it was any other guy, Danny would have immediately said no. Well, he has said no before. But this is Steve. The guy who knows him even at his worst; the guy who has his trust so inexplicably and unconditionally; and the guy who has turned his life into messy whirlwind, waking him up from the sleepwalking that he's been in ever since the divorce. Steve drives him crazy all the freaking time but Danny can't imagine not knowing him. The simple thought of that brings pain in his heart. And as inexperience as he is about liking another guy instead of a woman, even Danny is honest enough to admit that no guys have ever made him feel the way Steve McGarrett makes him feel.

But Danny needs to know whether whatever he feels for Steve is whatever Steve feels for him. This is getting bloody confusing.

"I… I'm not sure." Danny says helplessly – unable, for once, to say what is on his mind.

"Will this help?" Steve murmurs as he carefully leans down, telling Danny that he has every intention of kissing him. Steve watches Danny's eyes go wide, his face turns pensive and indecisive as he considers whether to allow or to refuse the kiss. When Danny shows no repulsion at what Steve is planning to do, the ex-SEAL proceeds downwards to touch Danny's lips lightly. Steve keeps the kiss soft and undemanding. Then he feels Danny's body relax slightly, so, he dares a slight move along Danny's lips, keeping the touch of his lips as light as butterfly wings.

Danny closes his eyes. It surprises him that his first kiss with a man doesn't disgust him at all as he feared it would. He sighs softly as he unconsciously leans into the kiss. Maybe Steve is onto something here, he thinks. While Danny has never contemplated to start any sexual relationship with a man before, Steve's soft and careful kiss might change his long-held opinion. Gay sex is still something that Danny cannot think about right now, but he would be damned if he lets something like that hold him back from taking chance on what he thinks can be a great thing.

Opening his eyes slightly, Danny says softly against Steve's lips, "I don't think this kind of kiss is going to convince me." He takes a deep breath, pushing aside his nervousness and says, "Maybe you have to convince me some more."

Steve goes still at those words before growls deeply and pulls Danny closer to him. He slides his palm underneath the curve of Danny's skull, nudging Danny face upwards and uses his other arm to wrap around Danny's waist tightly. He tilts his head slightly sideway to fit his mouth better on Danny's; lips, tongue and teeth start to nip, lick, suck and tease the life out of Danny. Danny, standing on tiptoe now, raises his hands hesitantly over Steve's shoulders for better support.

As Danny is being devoured by Steve's mouth, he thinks that he can learn to enjoy this. Sure, Steve's mouth is more aggressive and stronger than the women in his life and sure, he has never kissed someone who is more than a foot taller than him. He may find it strange to have to tilt his head upwards to kiss his partner; to have a muscular arm around his waist; to have the feeling of harsh stubble rubbing his skin, but Danny knows it is something that he can get used to.

* * *

_Nothing spells a real relationship more than a little domesticity._

They have been going slow after the confession. Steve doesn't want to rush things, not when he realises that Danny has never been with a man before let alone been in a relationship with one. The near death experience puts a whole new perspective on this feeling that he has towards Danny. It's not just the desire or lust; it is the need to curl around Danny in their bed every night for the rest of their life and also to share life, laughter, sadness, trials and happiness with him in the everyday. Steve wants Danny in every way for every day.

After work, Steve will ask Danny to go for dinner and every single time he does that, he is gratified to see the blinding smile that Danny gives to him. During weekends, if they're in the mood, they'll go for movies, games, park or anywhere and if they're feeling lazy, Steve will spread a mat on the beach in front of his house and they will lay there until the sun sets. It never ceases to amaze Steve just how much Danny can talk. And what amazes him more is the fact that he actually listens.

And that is all that they do – dating. It frustrates Steve but at the same time, he cannot help being amused. He has spent most of his adult life sleeping around and it takes one talkative, brash detective from mainland (Jersey, no less) to make him act like this. He guesses that is what happened if a person met somebody he wants for more than just a few nights.

"So, Steve," Danny walks into his office without a knock. Typical Danny, he thinks. "I was thinking that maybe we could just stay in tonight. There's a playoff on television and I want to see it."

"Sure," Steve replies as he shuts down his computer. "Chinese is okay with you?"

When Danny doesn't answer his question, Steve raises his head to see his partner. To his slight surprise, he sees Danny hesitate. "Danny?"

"Um, I was thinking that maybe I can, you know, cook dinner at your house?"

Steve laughs incredulously. "Danny, you can cook? You live off on takeouts!"

Danny glares. "Have you seen my apartment lately? It has no kitchen."

"Of course I have, Danno and it does have a kitchen."

"It's a pantry!" Danny declares with his arms crossed. "I can barely do anything there without getting my elbows jarred at every turn I make. If the houses in this island were not so ridiculously expensive, I would have rented a bigger space."

_You can always move in with me._ The words nearly escape Steve's mouth before he swallows them down. He has decided to take thing slow and asking Danny to move in with him is not taking things slow. Keeping a smile on his face, Steve reaches for his jacket and ushers them out. "Alright. I can't wait to eat your cooking."

"You're on," Danny looks determined before mouthing off, "Asshole," as an afterthought.

They stop by a 24-hour convenience store to pick up supplies because Danny argues that as good a cook as he is; even he cannot cook with milk and cereal as his only ingredients. When they arrive, Danny tells Steve to go anywhere but the kitchen. Thoroughly amused, Steve wanders off to living room and flicks on the television.

It doesn't take long before Steve hears the sounds of cuttings and sizzling of hot pans. When he smells something delicious, he leaves the television on and walks towards kitchen, completely heedless of the deadly threats that Danny spewed earlier about entering his domain. It has been so long since somebody else cooks in his kitchen and now, with Danny busying himself there, Steve feels something warm and good inside him; it dangerously feels like contentment. It's because at that particular moment, Steve feels that he is no longer alone.

The sight that greets him brings an affectionate smile of his face. If he didn't believe in Danny's capability to cook before, now, watching Danny bustling around like he has done it his whole life has made him a believer. Steve leans against the kitchen doorway with his eyes following the movement like a hawk. Sometimes, he cannot believe that Danny reciprocates his feelings because he knows Danny has never contemplated the possibility of entering into a relationship with man before. But then, Danny did tell him that all his life he has only loved Rachel even after the divorce took place and there is nothing but the bitterness and sacrifices and the loneliness of moving from Jersey to Hawaii in his heart. Knowing all this, Steve still finds it hard to believe his luck that Danny is his. His to stare, to touch, to desire, to pull near into an embrace, to smile to without needing to justify anything... his to love and love and love.

As he watches Danny switch off the stove and open the cupboard to search for plates, Steve pushes himself away from the doorway and walks silently, approaching his partner. He waits until Danny puts the plates down before encircling his arms around Danny's shoulders from behind. He would prefer waist but Danny is too small and he would have to bend a little to do so.

"Goddamn it, Steve!" Danny jumps and glares. "Don't freaking do that to me. I could have smashed these plates onto your head."

Steve chuckles deeply as he bends his head to nuzzle the soft spot behind Danny's ear. Danny smells of cheese, pasta and bread. Danny smells delicious.

"Do you want something?" Danny asks, arching his eyebrows. "I thought I told you to stay clear from kitchen until I call you."

Steve says nothing and moves his mouth to bite the soft flesh of Danny's ear. He dips his tongue into the contours of the ear, biting and teasing until he feels Danny raise his hands to clutch at his arms and until he hears Danny's breathings quicken. God, how he wants the man in front of him – the intensity he feels for Danny never cease to amaze him.

"Steve..." He hears Danny whine, not that the detective would ever confess to it. "Come on, man. Let's eat first. I've poured my sweat and blood onto preparing the food, the least you could do is appreciate it."

Hm, if Danny can still construct all those words together, it means Steve is not being distracting enough. So the ex-Navy doubles his efforts. He moves his lips along his partner's sharp jaw, loving the feel of the end-of-the-day stubbles, and then, down to the strong neck. He bites and sucks and laves the neck, trying to find one particular spot that can make his partner...

"God!"

There it is, Steve smiles. The spot is under the pulse and Steve makes a mental note to memorise it so he can find it again in the future. Steve unwinds his arms from around Danny's shoulders and wraps one of his arms around Danny's chest. He uses his other hand to hold Danny's jaw so that he can tilt his partner's head to side to gain more access to the sensitive spot. Gathering gently the soft skin between his teeth, Steve flicks the skin with the tip of his tongue until he feels Danny shiver and pant and then, he closes his mouth onto the spot to suck until it bruises.

"Steve..." Danny moans. "Shit... what are you doing to me?"

Steve hums, agreeing with Danny's words. He can feel Danny's fingertips dig painfully into his arms but Steve cannot find a will to stop. As he is marking Danny with his mouth, Danny is marking him with his fingers and for some unknown reasons, Steve finds it utterly hot.

When he moves slightly lower to repeat the whole process, Danny leans heavily back against Steve's taller frame with his head tilted back onto Steve's shoulder, exposing and offering freely his neck for Steve's further abuse. Apparently, Danny has forgotten about the dinner that he has painstakingly prepared as he demands wordlessly for Steve to continue his ministrations. Steve is more than willing.

"Oh... fuck." Danny breathes. "Oh... how the hell... do that again, Steve."

Steve closes his eyes tightly against the utter temptation that is called Danny. He is thoroughly turned on by only hearing Danny's voice; at how appreciative Danny sounds when he does something right. He cannot stop himself from devouring Danny's neck, no more than can he stop grinding himself against Danny's buttocks. This has never happened to him before. He has never lose himself so uncontrollably and the two of them are only necking! Nothing heavy, just goddamn necking and Danny is tempting him with his voice, his soft skin, his scent and his touch.

"Steve," Danny sounds broken as he runs his fingers through Steve's short cropped hair, anchoring himself from being further swept away by the turbulence of Steve's attention.

Every fibre of his being wants to sweep away the clutters on the table and lay Danny onto it. Every fibre of his being wants to rip off those shirt and pants and tie and show Danny that he can do so much more than just necking. But at the back of his mind, he remembers the words that Danny says after the kiss. He remembers Danny's hesitation over the physical aspects of this new relationship.

"_You've gotta go easy with me, Steve. I've never done this before, so, I don't know my limits just yet. I mean, don't ever think I don't want you. For me, this kind of thing is going to take a little time to get used to. I don't want to freak out when, you know, we... um... do it."_

Right now, Danny may sound like he is enjoying himself but Steve knows, deep down inside, that he is going to scare Danny off with his hastiness. Steve can't imagine how Danny learned to let go his previous belief that he is a strictly heterosexual man and suddenly is willing to do it with Steve. But Steve knows that it can't be easy and it must be an effort to teach himself to enjoy touches that he has never learned to enjoy before. Space and time, Steve thinks repeatedly; he needs to give Danny space and time.

"Danny..." Steve groans as if he is in pain when he lets Danny go. Maybe he is. "Sorry... I'm sorry. This is too fast. I shouldn't have done it."

Instead, Danny turns around to face Steve. He lifts his face and pulls down Steve's so that their lips meet halfway. Standing on his tiptoes, Danny pushes his lips further into Steve's mouth and after one hesitating moment, Danny opens his mouth to dart out his tongue and taste Steve's lips and his mouth. Steve's hands automatically wrap around Danny's waist, supporting Danny as he gets lost into the intensity of kiss. This is the first kiss that Danny has initiated and Steve can feel his noble intention of ceasing this necking session slip away. Danny tastes good. No, he tastes addictive and Steve can do this forever.

Danny tears his mouth away with a small moan and harsh breathing follows. "Food... Dinner, first," he stutters slightly. "And then... then..."

Steve closes his eyes, gathering his fragile control. He really should not be doing this in the first place but he cannot resist the man. No one has ever made him feel like this. This is something new – something precious – and somehow Steve knows that he cannot afford to screw this thing up. "Yeah," he answered gruffly before clearing his throat to try again. "Yeah. It's okay, Danno. No pressure. Whenever you're ready."

Getting his heartbeat to slow down and willing the flush on his face to fades away takes a few moments. Danny, then, snorts. "How can you say that after you practically maul me, you Neanderthal animal," Danny huffs as he brings the plates to the table. "No pressure, my ass."

Steve smirks at Danny's complaint, immensely relieved that his sudden advance doesn't freak his partner out. "That would actually sting me a bit, had you not kiss me back like a pro."

To his delight, Danny ducks his head and blushes. Busying himself with the plates and the dinner, Danny mutters, "Shut up."

Steve throws his head back and laughs happily.

* * *

_It's not the sex that connects two people; it's the intimacy that follows it._

"This is stupid." Danny mutters under his breath as he crawls up to Steve's bed. He has discarded his shirt and pants when he went for a quick shower and put on his night t-shirt and long-loose pants. "This is stupid and freaking ridiculous. I'm 34, for God's sake. How can Steve make me feel like a goddamn virgin when it is me who have been married and have a kid to prove it. Stupid Steve and his all-knowing, laser eyes and his smug smirk. This is all his fault."

Despite his muttering, Danny admits that he indeed feels nervous. How can he not? He has never done it with a man before. No man ever appealed to him before, until the hurricane called Steve McGarrett comes and ruins all his beliefs about his own sexuality. The necking session that Steve started before the dinner was so startlingly arousing – more than Danny has ever experienced in his life, causing Danny to think that maybe he is not secretly bi-sexual. Maybe – and that is a big, underlined, capitalised maybe – Danny is more towards 'Steve-sexual' because even his flings during college and the sex with Rachel do not even come close to what he has shared with Steve for a few brief minutes.

Waiting for Steve to come out from the bathroom, Danny lays down onto the bed and thinks of this new theory. Danny has never believed in one true love before. For him, the world is so big and it is unfair to expect people to spend time scouring the world just to find the one who is perfectly for them. Love is not something inexplicable that was predetermined before the dawn of time or any crap like that; he believes love is something that comes from mutual understanding and the ability to accept the other person for who he or she is. And from understanding and acceptance come unconditional forgiveness. Love is about sacrifices and efforts. He also believes that attraction and lust do not necessarily lead to love because they mean nothing without the efforts to transform them into love. That is why the marriage between Rachel and him doesn't work. They built their marriage on that split second of attraction and nothing more.

Rachel cannot accept him either as a police officer or a detective and she has spent time in their years of marriage making it clear. But Danny cannot do as Rachel wants him to do. Being in law enforcement is what – who he is. He is damn good at it and he knows it is his life. Danny, on the other hand, has long learned to accept Rachel for who she is. That is why he moved here because Danny has accepted Rachel's marriage to a wealthier man than him and he is doing the best that he can to pick up the pieces of their marriage so that their daughter doesn't live without either of her parent.

But Steve is different. Both of them are as different as night and day; moon and sun; pick your choice. And yet, Steve accepts him for who he is. He accepts the fact that Danny is too frank, too mouthy and too stubborn. Not only does Steve accept these traits of his, Danny thinks sometimes, Steve comes to expect and enjoy them, giving back as good as he gets them. If love indeed works in the way Danny thinks it does, where it needs mutual understanding and ability to accept other person's flaws, Danny would think that Steve loves him. Not just love him but love _love. _Somehow that realisation scares him a little. Danny has never been in a relationship where the other person loves him. It is usually he who does all the understanding and the acceptance, while the other person just take and take and take.

Danny raises his hands to cover his face. It takes a man; who is an ex-Navy SEAL, lives 5000 miles from his hometown and probably knows a hundred ways to kill with his bare hands; to be able to love him and his all – too numerous –flaws. To make the matter even novel, Danny thinks that he might love Steve back. He might love Steve with his complete disregard for rules and protocols, his disturbing fondness for pineapple and ocean, his deep laser-penetrating eyes, his unparalleled arrogance and his rush-into-things attitude. Oh, who is he kidding? He does not _might_ love Steve. He _definitely _loves Steve. He loves all that is Steve – the good, the bad and the irritating ones.

Shit... he loves Steve and somehow, Danny knows that this can be the end of him.

"Danny," Steve speaks up softly, worry in his tone . "If this is you freaking out over my thoughtless action in the kitchen earlier, I'd appreciate you warning me before you rush out of the house."

"Why?" Danny answers behind his palms. "So you can chase and drag me back?"

"Something like that."

Danny raises himself on his elbows and looks at Steve, who is in his drawstring, loose pant and (predictably) shirtless, looking torn between amused and worried. "That's not what freaking me out." Danny blurted out suddenly.

Steve hides his relief. He walks towards the bed and crawls carefully onto the bed to lie beside his partner. "So what freaks you out?"

Danny hesitates. Maybe the news that he loves Steve is not really a news to Steve. But he is freaking out over the novelty of his feelings in this relationship. He needs to think this over again when he is alone. "I'll tell you later."

"Should I be worried?" Steve asks teasingly, but his eyes are serious.

"No." Danny answered truthfully. After a few moments of silence, Danny murmured. "So..."

"So?" Steve echoed but Danny can hear the smile in the tone.

"Remember when you said 'no pressure'?" Danny said casually. He pushes the nervousness down.

It takes a few moments of stunned silence before Steve says, "Yeah?" Steve's voice is suddenly hoarse with anticipation.

"And you said 'whenever I'm ready'."

"Danny..." Steve growls.

Danny chuckles and the nervousness that he tries so hard to hide cause his hands to tremble a bit. He wrings his hands together to keep it steady. "You think you can handle me being ready, Steve?" He says.

There are few more moments of complete silence as Steve tries to comprehend Danny's question. "Danno, are you sure?"

Danny nearly says no before he bites his lips. It's just sex, for God's sake. Granted it is with a man – who knew what kind of freaky things men did with each other – but the man is Steve, the person whom he trusts wholeheartedly. He knows without doubt that Steve will stop whenever he asks him. "Yeah... yeah, I'm sure."

Steve rolls his body to cover Danny's body. Bracing himself on his elbows, Steve avoids from touching Danny's upper body with his own. Looking down at Danny's face, Steve makes one last feeble attempt. "Last chance, Danny," Steve cautions.

"Yeah, go ahead. Just..." Danny halts, clearly embarrassed by his nervousness. "...warn me if you're going do something weird."

Steve smiles widely. "Danny, I'm not going to suddenly grow tentacles from my back or something."

"With you, Steve, I'll never know." Danny retorts. Steve rolls his eyes before turning serious once again.

"Nothing weird," Steve promises before he mischievously adds, "Well, not tonight, anyway."

"Are you going start or what?" Danny asks a bit sharply. He cannot help it; the suspense is killing him. Steve just smiles as if he knows what Danny is feeling.

As soft as feather, Steve touches Danny's temple with his fingers, trailing reverently down to his temple to brush aside gel-free blond strands. Danny watches Steve's dark blue eyes follow the movement of his own fingers that continue their journey down to his cheek. Danny can see the subtle worshipfulness in those eyes and something hard clogs his throat. This is what missing in his marriage. It is the appreciation, the wonders and the love, not just simply lust and attraction. As Steve's hand cups his jaw the ex-Navy lowers down his face with obvious purpose of kissing him.

Danny instinctively tilts his head up to receive Steve's lips as though they have been kissing for years. Their lips touch and it resurrects the sparks of the previously denied desires. Without finesse; without thoughts, Steve opens his mouth to deepen the kiss and Danny wraps his arms around his partner's neck and back. Tongues slide in and out of either's mouths, sharing breaths and tasting everything that they have to offer. Steve braces himself on one elbow and uses his other hand to explore Danny's warm skin under the thin shirt. He pulls up the cloth to expose the muscled chest, savouring the velvety skin and the softness of sparse hair. He groans softly when he hears Danny whine at his touch.

He pulls away from Danny's mouth to recapture the taste of Danny's neck. He spends time on the bruised spot and being rewarded by the feel of Danny shivers against his lips. The journey down of his lips is impeded by the shirt that Danny wears. Feeling impatient, Steve bunches the shirt in a wordless order to lose it. Danny complies without argument.

The naked feeling of hard chest against his equally bared own is strange, Danny thinks. But not freaky kind of weird – he can still handle this. He can handle the bigness of Steve's hands touching him as opposed to the smallness of women's hands that he used to; he can handle the musky scent of male instead of sweet scent of feminine; he can handle roughness and sureness of Steve's touches instead of the soft and sometimes indecisiveness of women's touches. Danny also has no qualm to feel the corded and hard muscles – distinctively male – under his palms when he grasps Steve's back.

When he feels Steve's hot mouth closes around his nipple and spends some time playing it with the tip of his tongue, Danny moans at the shock sensation from the previously untouched receptors and his body trembles as the feelings of hot and wet trail down to his stomach. All these are strange feelings – yes, there is no denying that – but Danny thinks they are a good kind of strange, the one that he knows he can learn to enjoy for the rest of his life.

Steve grabs the hem of his drawstring pants to pull the flimsy cloth off and takes off his own pants as well. "Still okay, Danny?" Steve murmurs, looking up from Danny's stomach.

Danny nods. His body is on fire and for once in his life Danny cannot find words to string up any complains or comments. He watches in daze as Steve pulls away to reach for his night table's drawer, rummaging for something. When Steve settles back in his previous position, Danny realises that Steve is holding a tube of lube in his hand and suddenly, acute uncertainty comes back. Danny doesn't think he is ready for any form of penetration – hell, he is just getting used to having a male body on top of him without freaking out. Penetration might be pushing his tolerance.

"Um... Steve..." Danny says in quiet trepidation as his body involuntarily tenses at the sight of the lube. This is so stupid; Danny thinks with a hint of hysteria, it is just an ordinary-looking lube! He has used it many times before. Why does the sight of it inside Steve's hand with Steve's huge body looms over him freak him out? And Danny is not completely oblivious; he has heard that anal penetration for men can be very, very good. So why the hell is he acting like a complete wuss?

Steve frowned a little at the sudden tense he feels in the body underneath him and the slight panicky look he sees in Danny's face. He looks down to where Danny is staring and it takes a moment for the neurons in his brain to fire off and to connect the dots. Oh... Oh! "Danny... Danno, listen."

"Huh?" Danny is speechless; eyes still stare at the lube and Steve's lips tilt up slight in affection. Steve has never seen Danny so out of words before.

"Hey, partner," Steve murmurs as he puts his fingers under Danny's chin so that the detective looks at him and not the implication that the lube brings. "Nothing weird tonight, remember? Not until you ready to go further. I'd love to go all the way with you but I want us both to enjoy it."

Danny stares into Steve's eyes for a few moments until Steve's words sink in. Letting out a soft, frustrated sigh, Danny breaks away from Steve's intense eyes and covers his face with both of his hands. "This is so stupid. I can handle being shot at, thrown out of building; I can handle chasing down preps with you driving my car like a maniac along overlooking the cliffs no less, pineapple in my pizzas, sands in my shoes and natives talking in weird lingos that I can't possibly understand but I can't even think about... about _this_ without freaking out like a goddamn virgin on the first night of the goddamn wedding and if that is not bizarre enough, I am freaking out at the sight of lube that I've experience of using before! Furthermore...oomph!"

Steve can't help himself. Danny is ranting and he looks so adorable, lovable, sexy and fine and there is no way Steve can stop himself from grabbing Danny's face to kiss him. He kisses Danny open-mouthed, dirty and wet. He has often imagined this Danny in his bed – talkative with dozens of topics in one sentence in one breath – when he has thought relationship with Danny was unattainable. And to see his fantasy is brought to reality and to discover it is actually a hundred times better make him even more turned on.

Harsh breathings are shared after the kiss and Steve smiles softly. "I just want to make you feel good, Danno, that's all. Whatever I do, I just want to make you feel good. If tonight you can't handle _this_–" Steve runs lightly over Danny's arse and feels Danny tense again. "–I can do other things that can still make you feel good."

"Bastard..." Danny mutters – referring to way Steve stops him in middle of his rant. He kind of hates it to realise it is effective. "It is not just about me; I want you to feel good too."

Nuzzling his nose against Danny's neck, Steve teases, "Don't worry, Danny, I'm not that selfless. I'm going to take all that you have to offer."

Danny chuckles; signalling to Steve that his partner's brief panic over gay-sex is over. Sitting back with Danny's naked hips on his lap, Steve clicks open the tube, squeezes a generous amount of clear liquid on his palm and warms the lube with both of his hands. "Nothing fancy, nothing weird," Steve reassures once again. "Just feel it, babe."

When Danny feels Steve's large, slick hands wrap around his arousal, Danny hisses at the sensation. He can handle this, Danny thinks. It's just like masturbation and the fact that the hand that strokes his dick is bigger than his and belonged to Steve makes it, somehow, more erotic. Steve is so good at this – the sure flicks at the tip of his cock, the even pressure applies along his length and the distracting fondles at his balls and below make Danny writhe and his hands slide up to clutch desperately at the headboard and pillow. "Fuck... Steve! Oh God!"

"That's it," Steve murmurs hotly. "Just feel it, Danno. Doesn't it feel good?"

Danny moans low and long. His legs instinctively fall open in wanton invitation and his hips jerk upwards to follow the motion of Steve's strokes. He is surrounded by the waves of sensations created expertly by Steve. From distance, he thinks he hear Steve whisper, "God... you're beautiful Danny. So responsive, so natural – you're made for my touch; only for my touch..." and that, inexplicably, makes everything so much more intense. It is not just his body that is over-sensitised; Steve's words make his heart tighten with overwhelming feelings that he has never felt before. Danny wants Steve closer to him. He wants Steve to feel the way he feels.

"Steve..." Danny groans. "Please."

"Please what, babe?" Steve asks. "Tell me what you want."

"Come... come closer." Danny pleads. "I want to feel you closer."

Steve swallows hard at the sight of Danny lying there all flushed and panting and needy. How can he refuse him? He has never succeeded before and how can he now when Danny is looking like that? After one last swipe over the tip of Danny's arousal, gathering the milky pre-cum in his fingers, Steve gets onto his knees to crawl on top Danny. He waits until Danny's eyes on him before he deliberately licks the pre-cum off his fingers; he possessively takes into account the way Danny's blue eyes widen slightly before darken at his action. Bracing his upper body on his elbows, Steve murmurs, and "Close like this?"

Danny reaches up to grasp Steve's tattooed biceps and he curls his legs around Steve's waist. His bad knee complains silently and Danny ignores it. Taking a deep breath, he gives his arousal an experimental grind against Steve's, exhilarated when he hears Steve choke in surprise. "No," Danny stutters as he is equally affected by the touch. "Closer... I want...together. Come together."

"God... Danno..."

Danny feels rushes of pleasure at hearing Steve's deep voice moans like that. He tightens his legs and rocks slowly – his position on the bottom makes it hard for him to get enough leverage for better friction – before he groans in frustration at the unsuccessful attempts. "_Steve_..." Danny demands.

Steve swoops down to capture Danny's mouth and understands. Digging his elbows and his knees deeper into the mattress, Steve gives what they both need – blessed friction after friction – and the lube that he has smeared previously makes the grinding painless as pleasure bursts through their body. They race toward completion and when it is near, Steve doesn't want it to end just yet; so, he slows down, pulling them from the precipice for a few moments, stopping either both from coming, before he quickens his movement once again. He repeats the whole process again and again until Danny moans through the kiss in a whole new level of sexual frustration.

Sweats slick between their body; Danny's grips on Steve's arms are slippery and he sinks his fingertips deeper into the hard flesh. Steve is driving him crazy with his prolonged grinds. Breathings are becoming hard because his partner refuses to end the kiss; thinking is impossible because every inch of his skin is on fire from myriads of sensation; there is only one thing that runs through his mind at that moment and it is _steve,steve,steve,steve_ in a long unbroken chant. Danny can't believe at how long he is able to feel this kind of pleasure without coming. What... how the hell does Steve do this?

Tearing his mouth from Steve's greedy mouth, Danny breathes heavily; eyes closed against the relentless onslaught. "Don't... Come on... just... shit...God..._Steve_!" Danny is openly begging now. Later, when Steve is not driving him crazy, Danny will deny the begging. Right now, Danny doesn't think anyone can withstand this sweet torture. "Please, please, please..."

If Steve thinks he has seen everything that Danny has to offer, he is not at all prepared at the sight of Danny's face contorts into mindless pleasure with tears of sexual frustration leak at the corner of the tightly closed eyes and his mouth falls open to say _please_. Hot rush shoots throughout his body in a split second and he doesn't – can't keep this prolonged grinding anymore. Danny destroys the last of his control and intention to make it so good for Danny with his face and voice. "Shit, baby. You look... so goddamn good like this..." Steve groans loudly as he leads them to the last race toward completion.

And what a completion that is! Exquisite completion with an explosion that both of them have never felt before. Danny hides his scream by burying his face into Steve's neck and Steve muffles his own by pressing his mouth into the thick fair hair of his lover. In the haze of the residual aftershock, Steve distantly feels Danny's legs tighten around him for one last time before unwinding his legs and let them fall gracelessly beside either of Steve's thighs with a soft contented sigh. They spent minutes savouring the afterglow with Steve dropping soft kisses all over Danny's face and Danny running his hands over Steve's back and hair.

"Steve," Danny speaks up when his heart beats normally and he finally gets back his breathings. "You know that you're kind of heavy. And I think there's something sticky between us. While it did feel sexy not five minutes ago, I'm not sure I like it when it is cooling like that."

Steve laughs softly. It doesn't take long for Danny to get back to his usual talkative self, complaining every single thing imaginable. "All part of being a human, Danno." Steve answers affectionately as he rolls out of the bed to search for towel. He comes back after washing off the aftermath of the sex, holding a wet towel in his hand. When he sees Danny is in the middle of leaving the bed as well, Steve calls out, "Stay in bed, Danny. I'll be there in a second."

Danny rolls his eyes at the typical display of a control freak as he lays down back. "If the mess is going to magically clean by itself, I would have remained unmoved."

Steve walks towards the bed and sits beside Danny before methodically wipes clean Danny's stomach and private parts, ignoring Danny's splutter. "What are you doing?"

"No sense of both of us to leave the bed." Steve says reasonably as if they have been doing this numerous times. "Not when I can clean you as clean as if you washed it in the bathroom."

Danny's face flushes at the tender ministration. He has never had someone willing to it to him before. With a blush on his face, Danny challenges, "Is this another one of your strategic ops?"

Steve smiles, "Regardless of what you think, I only use Navy SEAL terms at work. Unless, of course, if you found those as some sort of a turn-on; then, I'm willing to expand my environment to our bedroom as well." Steve throws the used towel into the hamper where the rest of their clothes are. Strange, Danny did not see Steve put their hastily thrown down clothes into the hamper – Steve is such a neat freak.

Danny opens his mouth to retort his answer when a yawn escapes him instead. "I don't know about that," Danny's eyes drops, watching Steve beneath his heavy lids. "Do you want to tell me all of the terms you're going to use while you tuck me in?" His lips tug into teasing smile.

Steve takes up the subtle invitation. He pulls down the bedcover, lays flush beside his lover, spoons him closer to him from behind before he covers them with the bedcover and half-buries his face into Danny's thick hair. "Babe, you're spent," Steve whispers into Danny's ear. "I don't we can afford any of my SEAL vocabulary turning you on."

Danny chuckles deeply as he sinks himself deeper into Steve's warm embrace. "You keep dreaming. It's good for your ego."

"Mm-hm…" Steve answers back. His hands stroke Danny's stomach in an absent manner, savouring his presence in his bed. He has been searching for this, for someone to lie in his bed for the rest of his life. He searches for quiet nights sharing with his lover doing nothing but touching and teasing each other. And Steve knows all too well what he is looking for – intimacy. He has tried to seek it in his numerous one-night stands and all he finds is utter dissatisfaction and acute loneliness. The morning afters often leave him hollow and deeply restless. But with Danny he just knows that his life would never, ever be the same. Holding Danny in his arms, Steve knows he has found what he was looking for.

His feelings for Danny run too deep, too unfathomable that he can't wait to see what forever would bring with Danny in his life. And there is no word to describe what he is feeling. The only word close enough is love. He loves Danny with such intensity, such depth that he would be damned if he ever lets Danny go.

Danny turns his head slightly at Steve. "Is that the sound of your ego inflating?" He yawns again.

A surprise laugh escapes Steve at Danny's unexpected comment. "Danno, I could practically pay you to stop speaking. Yawning usually means sleep."

"Bastard." Danny digs his elbow gently at his partner's ribs. "I'm going to make you pay anyway."

Steve's smile carves deeper. He raises his hand to run his fingers through Danny's hair gently. "Tomorrow," Steve promises softly.

Danny closes his eyes. _Tomorrow._ The word speaks of future. His future that will consist of Steve for every day, for – maybe – the rest of his life. And for the first time in Danny's life since he stepped his feet on Hawaii, he feels secured and no longer living day by day, counting the time and crossing off the calendar aimlessly. When he wakes up tomorrow, Steve is going to be there. When he wakes up next week, next month or next year, Steve is still going to be there.

Steve spells security and commitment. And Danny promises to himself that this time, he will not screw this up. He will not let Steve go.

* * *

_Sometimes, it doesn't take a ring to announce to people about your relationship. _

Chin is just finishing off the reports for last week's busts and amazingly, nothing has been broken, crashed, maimed or even exploded. He likes his boss and deeply grateful for the trust given by him even though Chin is not sure whether he has earned it or not. But every now and then, Steve reminds him of his old mentor – Jack as they share the same destructive manners in dealing with criminals. And Steve is hundred times worse than his old man since the governor is giving him full immunity and pass. Chin considers himself extremely lucky for _not_ being Steve's partner; the responsibility of restraining Steve from going overboard is a mighty big one and Chin has enough experience with Jack to know that you can reproach all you want and nothing will stick.

So, Chin sympathises with Danny. The man may look like a hothead at the outside, but Chin knows that if a person is able to withstand Steve McGarrett as his partner for more than six months and not kill him, that person has a patience of a saint. Oh, Danny would occasionally (always!) find things to complain about Steve. However, that is all Danny does because at the end of the day, Danny will always follow Steve's lead even though he knows that at the end of the road there will only be madness. Chin often thinks that the bond between Steve and Danny is incomparable.

Lately, Chin has begun to notice something has changed in the relationship. They are still close as ever, Danny is still mouthing off at every single crazy thing Steve does and Steve still pretending that he is does not enjoy the attention that he is getting from Danny. But something is off. Something new in the relationship. And Chin prides himself for being an observant cop, so, not being able to pinpoint the anomaly (Max's tendency to use big word is rubbing off) is like an itch that driving Chin to distracted.

The first few days, Chin cannot really pinpoint it. But today, as he raises his head to put aside the completed report, he suddenly realises what is new in Steve and Danny relationship. Danny is sitting in Steve's office, eating his lunch, with Steve reclining beside him. Chin doesn't often eavesdrop but Steve's glass-walled office's door is ajar and he doesn't need to strain his ears to listen.

"Danno, you have your own office. Spill your lunch there." Steve orders.

Danny purses his lips defiantly as he sinks deeper into the visitor's chair. "Why? Is your Army's spill-free eating manner obsession complaining?"

"It's the Navy, darling." Steve mutters as he pulls the ever-present napkin from somewhere and absent-mindedly brushes off the crumbs off his table and Danny's shirt.

Chin raises his eyebrows at the term of endearment and gesture and how Danny doesn't even look surprise at Steve's action or word.

Instead, Danny pointedly takes a big bite of his sandwich and Steve rolls his eyes. "What?" Danny demands. "This is a very good sandwich. If you'd waited for a few more minutes when you picked me up this morning, instead of honking the neighbourhood into heart attack, I would have packed some for you too."

"Danny, it's still a sandwich no matter how good of a cook you are." Steve challenges. "I doubt it is that good that you can't eat without spewing the crumbs everywhere."

Danny's eyes narrow at the dare. He tears a chuck off his sandwich and holds it out to Steve. "Eat it. Now."

Steve smirks. Clearly he doesn't believe Danny. Instead of reaching out for the sandwich, like Chin fully expects him to, Steve leans forward to eat it from Danny's hand and instinctively licks off the mayonnaise off Danny's fingers. Like it is the most natural thing; like it is what people do with their friends. And Danny seems either not to notice (which is unlikely) or it _is_ what he does with people he calls friend. Though Chin knows if it is him who licks the mayo off Danny's fingers, Danny would have given him a weird look. Maybe he only does it with Steve.

Chin is shaken off from his musing at the sudden appreciative grunt from Steve and he sees Danny's face practically aglow with pleasure. "Oh God, Danno. What did you put between those breads?" Steve licks his lips.

"I told you, babe." Danny smiles. Chin is again taken back with pet name and how Danny doesn't smirk smugly but smiles happily like it pleased him enormously to be able to surprise Steve. "Aren't you now sorry that you don't wait that extra five minutes?"

Steve doesn't answer and his eyes are locked on the remaining sandwich greedily. Danny's smile grows wider before he divides his sandwich into two roughly even parts and indulgingly gives Steve the bigger one. Chin thinks Danny look good when he smiles like that. Like happiness is bursting out and barely contained. And how the smile on Steve's face matches Danny's. Happiness is clearly shared.

Chin's mouth drops open in clarity. Oh…oh! Suddenly he understands what he has been trying to discover for days. He has understood the something new in his boss and his partner's relationship. It is not something new after all; it is just an extension of the existing relationship. Chin now knows it is not just happiness that he sees on Steve and Danny's face; it is love. And not just any kind of love. It is the love that he used to and still has for his ex-wife. Only it is clearly deeper and equally shared. It is clear that they have crossed the line between friendship and love and by the looks of it, it agrees with them.

Chin doesn't know what he should do with this new information. While he has no problem whatsoever with it, he doesn't how should he act. Should he ignore it and resume his like nothing has happened? Or should he walk toward them and offer them his congratulation? Should he tell Kono? The kid will be pissed if she found out that she has been left out. Kono is kind of sensitive when it comes to her family. But is it even his news to share? Judging by the lack of obfuscation (Max is really rubbing him off) from Danny and Steve; like they care not in hiding their affection, Kono might pick up sooner or later.

After a few moments of silent contemplation, Chin decides that he's going to let Kono figure it out by herself and he's not going to say anything to either his boss or Danny unless they come and tell him. After all, Chin doesn't think anything is going to affect what they have going right now. In fact, now that Steve has Danny as his anchor, maybe he'll tone his craziness a few notches down. Chin will have less paperwork to do and how can that not be a good thing?

Later that night, when he and Kono go out for a drink, Kono is pleasantly buzzed and Chin knows when Kono is in that state, she is loose around her mouth.

"So, cuz," Kono leans closer in conspiratorial tone. "I've got something to tell you but only if you promise not to flip out."

Chin frowns. God, he hopes to hell that Kono did not take his motorcycle for a spin and crash it to the tree again. Is that why Kono offer to pick him up earlier? Come to think about it, Chin hasn't seen his bike at all today. "What is it?" Chin asks warily.

"Promise me that you'll not flip out," Kono demands.

Chin sighs. "I promise," he says solemnly.

"Alright," Kono nods. She takes a deep breath in a dramatic manner. "Steve and Danny are doing it!" She declares proudly.

Chin is shocked for the second time of the day. "H…how do you figure?" Chin stutters. Damn it, he thinks, Kono has figured out sooner than him? How long has he gone unnoticed?

"What do you mean?" Kono sits up. "They are so blatantly obvious! Don't tell me you've missed the name-calling like _kitty, babe Neanderthal animal_, the glance-stealing, the whole did-you-miss-me-yes-I-do exchange, the jealousy display when Steve's friend; Nick, came, the way Steve is annoyed when Danny says he is homesick, the…"

"Okay, okay," Chin waves his hand in placating manner. "I did notice it. I'm asking since when do you realise it?"

Kono smiles widely. "I know it when I overheard a few weeks back Danny called Steve incorrigible Rambo with a control issue that runs a mile wide and Steve replies 'only in the best possible way baby, remember?'. Then I saw Danny's face go red. I'm telling you, cuz, I don't think anything could make Danny blush and I swear Danny blushed that day. What else was I supposed to think? It is so obvious!"

_A few weeks_. Chin thinks mortifyingly. He can't believe he is the one who is the last to know. Kono is much more observant than him. But then, Kono is a woman and Chin has heard how women are much more perceptive than men when it comes to this kind of thing; he reassures himself. "Why do you think they haven't told us?"

Kono shrugs. "Probably because they didn't think they need to. I mean, they are both guys. Telling people about new relationship is always done by women."

Chin tossed down his drink and chuckles. "And judging by the way they act, I don't verbal announcement is needed. Their actions are loud enough."

Kono laughs. "Yeah. I've lost count how many people asking them how long they've been married and how those questions never faze them a bit."

Feeling relieved that he doesn't need to keep it secret around his cousin anymore; Chin joins Kono in reminiscing their teammates. "You should have seen the way they act this afternoon during lunch. Steve licked Danny's fingers." Chin tells in as-a-matter-of-fact manner.

"What?" Kono breathes. "That one I haven't seen it just yet."

Chin smirks. "Don't worry, cuz. I've got feeling that you're going to see a lot of it very, very soon."


End file.
